Xbox Series X

On November 10, 2020, Microsoft launched the Xbox Series X, a home video game console designed to push gaming into the realm of 4K resolution at 120 frames per second. Powered by a custom AMD Zen 2 processor and RDNA 2 graphics architecture, the console delivers hardware-accelerated DirectX Raytracing, enabling realistic lighting effects like shadows, reflections, and global illumination. In technical demos, Microsoft showed Minecraft with light passing through glass to cast colored shadows, and water becoming fully transparent to reflect moonlight off underwater surfaces.

The Series X supports HDR with Dolby Vision, variable refresh rates for smooth visuals, and Smart Delivery, which automatically provides the best version of a game across Xbox One and Series X|S. Backward compatibility extends to Xbox One, Xbox 360, and original Xbox titles, while Xbox Play Anywhere lets players buy once and play on both console and PC. The Optimized for Xbox Series X|S tag ensures games built natively for the platform have faster load times, higher visual fidelity, and steadier frame rates up to 120 FPS.

At launch, Xbox Game Pass offered over 100 games, led by Halo Infinite. Key launch titles included Madden NFL 21, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, and Yakuza: Like a Dragon, with Smart Delivery support for DiRT 5 and Cyberpunk 2077. The Coalition demonstrated Gears 5 running at full PC Ultra Spec settings with higher resolution textures, volumetric fog, and 50% higher particle counts than PC Ultra allowed, with the opening cutscene at 60 FPS in 4K compared to 30 FPS on Xbox One X. [edit]

The Xbox Series X targets native 4K at up to 120 FPS, with variable refresh rate support for tear-free visuals. The custom SSD drastically reduces load times, and Quick Resume lets players suspend multiple games and switch between them almost instantly. Hardware-accelerated DirectX Raytracing provides realistic lighting, shadows, and reflections in supported titles. The controller features a hybrid D-pad, textured triggers, and a Share button for capturing and sharing screenshots and clips. Smart Delivery ensures players always have the best version of a game for their console, while Xbox Play Anywhere allows cross-buy and cross-save between Xbox and Windows PC. [edit]